


Touch

by amlovabledeathmo



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Everyone lives, UA (Universe Alterations)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 08:02:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10184639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amlovabledeathmo/pseuds/amlovabledeathmo
Summary: Bilbo was not used to touch, dwarves touch a lot.





	

Bilbo wasn't used to casual touch. No one touched him since his parents died and before, well he was an odd hobbit. A Baggins and a Took with a "wild" mother, as others said, did not make for a good friend. So with no siblings the only touch was from his parents and after they passed there was no more touch. 

It really wasn't something he gave much thought to, just like how you don't realize you are utterly lonely until you make friends or get into a conversation at the market. 

When Bofur slung an arm around Bilbo's shoulders the very first morning after leaving Hobbiton it was rather jarring. Bilbo wasn't sure how to respond though he did find he enjoyed the touch. The next time he realized how much he liked being touched was a couple nights later when he woke in the middle of the night to find parasites (Fili and Kili) cuddled up on either side of him. He felt so warm and included he actually may have cried a bit. 

The longer the journey went the more the dwarves included him in their touches, head pats when they passed him, arms around his shoulders, holding his hands while walking, slapping his back or upper arm when he told a good joke, or even cuddling him during the cold nights. Bilbo loved it, he didn't think he'd really ever been happier than with this group of loud, touchy dwarrow. Yet he still had a bit of a problem, he had no idea how to respond to all the touches, he never initiated it and in fact still tended to tense a bit at first contact. 

Ori was the one to ask him, wanting to know if they were hurting him or offending him. Though all the dwarrow had noticed they decided that Ori would be the best one to ask. When Bilbo explained about being 'different' the dwarves were upset. They thought it was pretty sad to go without the casual affection of friends. 

A few weeks later and Bilbo was learning to reach out, to grab the hand closest to him when walking and pat the others arm when they were talking. 

It made it much worse when he was banished. He found he could barely function without the contact of his friends and often found himself reaching out to whoever he was talking to before catching himself. Then came the battle, where there was far to much touching and not of the friendly kind. There were fists and claws and teeth and weapons, no friendly pats and warm hands. Bilbo ran, he pushed himself to try and warn his family, for they were, over the long journey they became family. When he reached Ravenhill Azog had Fili dragging him to the edge of the cliff and Bilbo could not allow that. He screamed as he ran, grabbing the biggest rocks he could reasonably throw and knocking Azog in his big stupid head. That's all the distraction the dwarves needed. It was still a long fight up there in the snow and ice. When Thorin was laying next to the fallen body of the defiler Bilbo thought it was the last time he'd touch him, pressing close trying to stop the blood and pleading with his heart to stay alive. 

When the terrible battle was done and all his dwarrow accounted for Bilbo vowed to never let them go again. He hugged them all and checked their wounds and re-bandaged injuries, he sat with Thorin and the boys and brushed their hair and bathed their skin. He would never let his family be out of arms reach again.


End file.
